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Do you call your in-laws mom and dad?

I have been with my husband 13 years and I have always called his parents either by their names or grandma and grandpa when talking with the kids. I have never felt comfortable making that transition to mom and dad. However my husband's brother's wife called them mom and dad from day one. Before she was even engaged to his brother! She even gives them cards and gifts with those titles on it. She calls them to chat and texts my FIL while he's at work. I'm not hating on her relationship and I'm not jealous that she feels closer to them then me. I'm just curious if it's easy for others to call their in-laws mom and dad. If you do how long did it take you to make that transition? Did you ask their permission to start staying it or did they ask you to start saying it? I don't think I will ever call them mom and dad is that bad??

I was not given a choice - just told that they would like to be called mom & dad. I found it strange as both my parents only called their parents mom & dad & referred to the "other" set by name.
I really tried, but it feels so awkward to me that I either avoid calling them anything, or I refer to them in the third person - "ask gran if I can help". .- been married 25 years and still awkward. When my sons marry will certainly ask what their so's feel comfortable with!!

I call my MIL mama. DH and I both worked for her as servers (she was the GM) for 5 years and I saw her almost daily and we would go to her house at least once a week. and that was before we had kids :) Don't remember when I started calling her that but she really is my second mom. We talk on the phone once or twice a week too and I will go hang out at her pool with the kiddos when DH is at work on Saturdays!

It is uncomfortable for me, too. I have been married to my husband for over 5 years and they refer to themselves as mom and dad when they speak to me and when they sign cards etc. They are not my mom or dad...they just expect me to call them that...I hate it and usually avoid calling them anything!

by Anonymous 1
on Aug. 1, 2014 at 4:41 PM

Yes from the time we were just dating. Same with him and my parents. I'm as close to them as I am my own family.

I call my mom in law, mom. The hubbs doesn't call my parents mom and dad unless he is referring to them in a note to them or to my siblings. But he calls them their names to their face. It's a little weird for him to call them mom and dad though just because he is only 17-13 years younger then them respectively. My mom is 50 and my dad is 54.

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